Acetylene-gas generator.



1. A. McCLAIN. ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 28, 1914- Patented Jan.18,1916.

INVENTOR WITNESSES TNB COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH $0.. WASHINGTON, D. c.

JAMES A. MeoLnIn, or ALVA, OKLAHOMA.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 18, 1916.

Application filed February 28, 1914. Serial No. 821,632.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES A. MCCLAIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Alva, in the county of Woods and State of Oklahoma, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specifioation.

My invention relates to acetylene gas generators and'it has particular reference to generators in which calcium carbid is automatically fed to the water in the generator.

My invention has for its object to provide a generator which may be operated continuously without stopping for replenishing the supply of carbid or of water.

A further object of my invention is to 7 provide a generator, the operation of which constructed in accordance with my inven may be easily and conveniently initiated and which may be automatically controlled after its operation has begun.

In the operation of generators as usually constructed, it is necessary to discontinue the operation of the generator to replenish the supply of carbid in case the supply has been completely exhausted. It is also not possible in the ordinary machine to replace the water in the generator tank without suspending operation and in addition allowing the generator to become filled with air, which is not only dangerous but impairs the quality of gas furnished for some time.

I have provided a generator that is so arranged that the supply of carbid maybe replenished at any time desired without suspending the operation of the generator. The carbid is fed automatically when the supply of gas has reached a predetermined minimum. The tank of the generator may be cleaned and the water replaced by a fresh supply without interfering with the generation of gas.

The above and other advantages will be apparent from a description of my invention in connection with the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is aview in vertical section, parts being broken away, of a generator tion. Fig. 2 is a similar view showingthe generator in operation. I

A cylindrical tank 1 comprises a generat ing chamber 2 and an annular receptacle 3 both or" which are adapted toreceive a supply of water. A funnel shaped receptacle l is located immediately abovethe generating chamber 2 and is connected to the latter by a centrally disposed opening 5 that is controlled by a spherical valve 6. The valve is controlled by a. rotatable shaft 7 having a crank arm 8 that is connected to the valve 6 by a rod 9 and having also a crank handle 10 exterior of the tank.

The lower end of a bell 11 is inserted into the water of the annular receptacle 3, thus forming a water seal to prevent the escape trolled by a ball valve 14 of -brass,.or other suitable material, and a pointed stem 15 that is connected toa teed rod 16. A crossbar 17, that is attached to the feedrod 16 at its lower end, is adapted to engage the side walls of the funnel shaped receptacle 4C when the bell 11 is in the lower portion of its path of movement. connected also to a sleeve 18 that is slidably mounted upon apipe19, the latter forming a guide for the sleeve as it is actuated upwardly by the feed rod 16 or downwardly by gravity, as the case may be. The pipe 19 is fixed to the bell 11 by a frame 20. The sleeve 18 prevents the carbid from interfering with the reciprocating movement of the feed rod 16 within the pipe 19. A larger pipe 21 prevents the carbid from falling into the annular receptacle 3. The emerges from a pipe 22 as it is desired for use. I

It may be assumed that the generator is being started into operation and that the various parts occupy their respective positions as shown in Fig. l. A starting device comprising a small receptacle 23, that is provided with a manually operable valve 24 and that contains a small quantity of carbid, is screwed into the opening of the The stem 15 is l main carbid receptacle 12. It will be noted tacle 23 into the tunnel shaped receptacle 4 and through the opening 5 into the gene rating chamber 2'. The gas thus'generated operates 'to'lift the bell 11 and allow the ball valve l-fl to be seated. When the bell has risen a suliicient height, it is temporarily fastened by a pin and a bar-'26 to prevent its downward movement. The receptacle 23 isthen removed and the receptacle 12 is filled with a suitable quantity of carbid after which a cap 2? is tightly screwed over the opening and the pin 25is removed. The'various parts are now in the positionshown in Fig. 2 and the operation 15 of the generator is automatically controlled When the supply of gas diminishes to such an extent that the bell is lowered and the cross-bar 17 engages the side Walls of the receptacle l, further downward movement of the bell causes the ball valve to engage the stem 15 to permit carbid to enter the generating chamber 2. Because of the construction of the valve mechanism'whereby the ball'l'; issimultaneously'moved laterally and upwardly by the stem 15,0111y a small movement of the latter relatively to the bell 11 is'necessary to produce a coniparatively large opening for the passage of carbid. This result is made possible by causing the opening to be produced substantially entirely on one side of the ball insteadof being divided in case the ball were moved upwardly only. The efl'ect is to permit the carbid; to'fiow much more freely than is possible with the usual types of. valves. Larger pieces of carbid may pass J through the opening than is possible with a corresponding actuation of a valve which moves upwardly in a substantially straight line. Should the volume of gas. become excessive at any time, a safety exhaust pipe 28 is effective when the bell is raised to such a position that-an opening 29 ina pipe 30 a surrounding the pipe 28, is above the sur-' face ofthe water in the annular receptacle '3. Since all of the gas generated in the chamber 2 must pass through the opening 5, it must also pass up through the water in the receptacle l and thus be washed by it.. lVhen it is desired to replace the water in the chamber 2', the shaft 7 is rotated by means of the crank8 to cause the valve 6 to. close the opening 5. The receptacle 4: then serves temporarily as a generating chamber so that the operation of the device is notstopped. .An agitator rod 31 that is provided with a scraper 32 is then actuated to mixfthe sludge thoroughly with the water whereupon a draw-on cock 33 and an air cock 34 are opened to empty the chamber 2. A fresh supply of water is then poured into the chamber 2 through a suitable valved opening (not shown). Thus the generating m er m y e eane -a d the atQrJ -"eplaced by a fresh supply without interfering with the action of the generator, and without admitting any air into the gas chamber. The annular receptacle 3 is providedwith a draw-oft cock 35 and a funnelshaped opening 36 througlrwhich water v may be supplied as desired. A pipe or tube orator and .for replenishing the' supply of carbid if it shouldbecome exhausted has alsobeen provided. By meansof-the communicating receptacles, the operation of the generator may continue without interruption while the tank is cleaned and fresh water supplied. a No airis admitted'to the gas chamber while any of these operations are performed. f I l I claim as my invention:

l. In a gasfgenerator, the combination with a generating chamber, and .abell relatively movable thereto, of a receptacle carried by said bell, a substantially spherical valve loosely mounted in said receptacle, and means comprising a pointed member carried by said belland movable relatively thereto for engaging said valveto simultaneously move it upwardly and laterally.

2. In a' gas generator, the combination with a generating chamber, and a receptacle having an opening communicating therewith, of a loosely mounted valve for controlling said opening, and means for ensimultaneously upwardly and laterally.

3. In a gas generator, the combination...

with a generating chamber, and a receptacle having an opening communicating therewith, of a substantially spherical valve loosely mounted in said receptacle for controlling said. opening, and a longitudinally movable member for engaging said valve to move It upwardly and laterally simultaneously.

4:. In a gas generator, the combination with-a generating chamber, and a' container having an opening communicating therewith, of a substantially spherical 'valve loosely mounted in said opening, and. a movable memberhaving a pointed portion for engaging said valve to move it upwardly and laterally simultaneously in accordance with the volume of gas in said generator. I

5. Ina gas generator, the combination with a generating chamber comprising a movable bell, and a carbid container carried by said bell for supplying carbid to said mb o mea s fo au o a al y ntro1ling the supply of carbid, said means In testimony whereof, I have hereunto comprising a substantially spherical valve loosely mounted in said container, a pointed my, 1914. member for engaging said valve, and means JAMES A. MCCLAIN. for causing said member to engage said Witnesses:

valve when the volume of gas in said gener- J. E. MCCORMICK, ator reaches a predetermlned minimum.

0. E. SOHAEFER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patentl. Washington, D. G."

subscribed my name this 23d day of Febru- 

